Gun-mount



H. M. ROCKWELL.

GUN MOUNT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, I918.

1337,3270 Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

i INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

H. M. ROCKWELL.

GUN MOUN-T.

APPLICATION man SEPT. 14, ms.

1 337 327 Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

5 4! Z4! Ti 7 KM ArroRzvE UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

HUGH M. ROCKWELL, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE MARLIN- ROOKWELL CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK.

1,337,327. Specification of To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HUGH M. ROCKWELL, a citizen of the United States, residin at Bristol, county of Hartford, State of onnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun-Mounts, of which the following is such a clear, full, and exact description as to enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a device for mounting automatic guns upon airplanes and has to do more especially with a means for mounting guns so that they can be operated by the observer or by some one else other than the pilot.

One object of my invention is the provision of a mount which shall be of such a nature that it is capable of supporting more than a single gun. It is also an object of my invention to so construct this mount that .the guns carried thereby are capable of universal movement, so that they can be pointed in any desired direction.

A further object of my invention is to provide in connection with this mount, a means of taking care of the exploded cartridges as they are ejected and prevent them flying out at random. It is also an object of this invention to so construct the aforementioned means that there is no danger of the exploded shells clogging the ejecting opening when the mount is tilted at a considerable angle. Without some such. provision as this, there would be a great probability of injury to the pilot or others in the plane or even to the plane itself.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the operator of the guns can easily operate the same to fire each gun individually or several guns simultaneously. The embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings shows guns of the type known as the light Browning. This is merely by way of illustration of the device which is capable of use in connection with guns of other types.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the gun mount with two guns.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section- Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW Gun-MOUNT.

L r Patent Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application filed September 14, 1918. Serial No. 254,058.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the rear brace member.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. I

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5. j The mount comprises a frame 1 which is pivotally mounted on the pin 2, the lower end of which is provided with a clamp 3 by means of which the pin can be attached to a suitable support. The forward end of the frame 1 is provided with the arms 1 and 5, these arms being of diflerent elevations. At opposite sides of the frame 1 and at difierent elevations, the automatic guns A and B are attached by means of the bolts 6. Each of these guns has the usual opening C through which the exploded shells are ejected. In alinement with the ejecting opening of gun A, is a passageway 7 cut through the frame 1. A box 8, the upper end of which is provided on its inner side with an opening 9, is attached to the frame so that the upper portion of this opening .lines up with the passageway 7 and the lower portion thereof with the ejecting opening C of gun B. The ends of the box extend some distance forward and rearward of the ejecting opening and form pockets into which the exploded shells may drop when the gun mount is tilted and thus avoid any possibility of the shells obstructing the ejecting opening. The lower part of this box is provided with a hinged bottom 10 which is held closed by the spring clip 11. The barrels of the guns are supported by the yokes 12 and 13 passing through the arms 4 and 5 respectively.

Carried by the cylindrical projections D, at the rear ends of the guns, is another frame 14 having split openin s 15 therein which fit over the projections D. Bolts 16 are provided by means of which it is possible to clamp this frame to the rear ends of the guns. This frame carries a handle 17. Attached to the trigger guards G of the guns are the brackets 18 and 19 which have pivotallg mounted thereon, the levers 20 and 21. ne end of the lever 20 is in contact with the trigger of the gun A, while one end of the lever 21 is in contact with the trigger of the gun B Attached to the other end of the lever 20 is the push rod 22, and to the free end of the lever 21 is connected a like rod 23. The other ends of the push rods are carried by the frame 14, and are provided with the heads 24 and 25. When either of the rods is pushed forward one of the levers is caused to rotate slightly thereby operating the trigger and firing the un. g E designates the cartridge holders which are of the standard type. A rod F has one end attached to the breech block in place of the ordinary operating handle and extends back through the frame 14. By means of this rod the initial cocking of the gun B can be accomplished. Gun A is cocked by means of the ordinary handle which is not shown.

\Vhen in use the clamp 3 is mounted on a support tightly enough to remain in any position that it is placed and loosely enough to be rotated thereon without much exertion. By virtue of the fact that the frame 1 is pivotally supported on the pin 2, which is capable of rotation as above described, it is possible to point the gun in any direction desired.

The box 8 catches the exploded cartridges as they are ejected from the guns, preventing them from flying out. There is no danger of any injury to the operator, other occupants of the airplane or the airplane itself, because of this arrangement.

By means of the push rods 22 and 23. it is possible to fire either gun singly or to fire both simultaneously. The heads 24 and 25 are close enough so that the bolt rods can be pushed by the operator using merely his thumb.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, a support, a frame mounted on said support, said frame having a transverse aperture therein and means for attaching a gun to said frame so that the ejecting opening of the gun is in alinement with said transverse aperture.

2. In a device of the character described, a frame having a transverse aperture therein, a box having a lateral opening attached to said frame, the upper portion of said opening being in alinement with said transverse aperture, means for attaching guns to said frame so that the e ector opening of one .is in alinement with the transverse aperture and the e ector opening of the other 1s in alinement with the lower portion of the opening in the box.

3. In a device of the character described, a frame having an aperture, a box having an opening attached to said frame, a portion of said opening being in alinement with said aperture, and means for attaching guns to said frame so that the ejection opening of one gun is in alinement with said aperture, and the ejection opening of the other gun is in alinement with the remaining portion of the opening in the box.

4. In a device of the character described, a frame having an aperture, a receptacle carriedbysaid frame and having an opening. and means for supporting on said frame a plurality of said guns in such an arrangement that the shells ejected from one gun pass through said aperture and into said receptacle through said opening, and the shells ejected from the other gun pass directly through said opening into said receptacle. 4

5. In a device of the character described, a frame having an aperture, means to so mount a gun on said frame that the shells are ejected from the gun into said aperture. means to mount on said frame a second gun. and a receptacle in communication with said aperture and adapted to also directly receive the shells ejected from the second gun.

6. in a device of the character described. a frame adapted for universal movement. a plurality of guns attached to said frame in stepped relation, a receptacle'carried by said frame and having communication with the ejection opening of each gun. a lever mounted on the trigger guard of each gun, one end thereof engaging with the respective trigger, and means attached to the other .ends of said levers whereby said levers may be actuated individually or collectively to fire said guns.

HUGH M. ROOIGVELL. 

